&#34;Super-tie&#34; - bread bag quick open/closure device

ABSTRACT

A device of integral construction having resilient elongated members and a curved hook handle for easy and simple operation. The bad closure device of the present invention comprises smooth surfaces to accept LDPE manufactured bread and other consumable container bags and a smooth curved member located at thumb level for easy and quick release of same. The gripping characteristics of the closure device is achieved by a flexible spring tab that applies constant tension to the bag-accepting area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to a closure device and more particularly for closing produce bags made of LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) and those closures having smooth resilient jaws capable of quickly gripping and releasing the necks of said bags.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many bag closure devices have been issued patents. Although innovative and well meaning the vast majority of these devices are too complicated, inconvenient, difficult to use, and/or do not accomplish the desired result of the user. The majority of the inventions in the related art just have not received widespread acceptance and use by the consumer. The current and most widely used closure devices, ones that accompany bread products shipped in LDPE bags, are small plastic-encased wires or small, thin, plastic V-clips. The wire closures are clumsy at best and aggravating, awkward, and slow at worst in opening/closing bread bags, as well as virtually ineffective in keeping the bags airtight and the bread fresh. These tie-wires can be very annoying and a nuisance—especially if the previous user was left-handed. A right-handed person will then be tightening the wire when attempting to open the bag. V-clips often tear the bag and never close it properly as well as breaking apart after continued use. In addition, these wires and V-clips are so small that when dropped or misplaced they are almost impossible to find.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

All breads and many other consumables come packaged in clear LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) bags. This invention is an inexpensive, durable, never failing device that offers an unencumbered, simple, quick, convenient, easy, and the efficient opening and closing of said polyethylene bags as well as superior and complete airtight closure of same.

This invention can be used effortless by both left-handed and right-handed people. This invention is big enough to be seen by the visually impaired but small enough that a small child can use with ease. This invention can be used comfortably by people suffering from arthritis, by the elderly, as well as other mildly handicapped individuals. This invention is child safe—it has no sharp edges and is not small enough to swallow. Because of its rigid, although resilient, construction and design, unless it gets dropped behind the refrigerator, dropped in a fire, or taken out by the dog and buried in the backyard,—it will practically last forever. There is no built in obsolescence—so far the only marketing drawback I have found.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Several objects and advantages of the present invention are:

-   -   a) to provide a bag closure and opening device that is simple,         easy, quick, and efficient for all that use it;     -   b) to provide a device with no complex or moving parts;     -   c) to provide a closure that insures superior and complete         air-tight closure of bread bas or the like;     -   d) to provide a closure that all can afford;     -   e) to provide a closure that is so durable that it will last for         years with continuous daily use;     -   f) to provide a closure that can be used by the elderly, the         mildly handicapped, the mentally challenged, and children;     -   g) to provide a closure for the vision impaired;     -   h) to provide a closure that has no sharp edges, teeth, or         prongs;     -   i) to provide a closure that is child safe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PHOTOS

(New samples are being manufactured—samples in photos have been lost . . . new samples will be submitted 4-6 weeks from initial filing date)

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation view denoting named parts of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view denoting a named part of invention.

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation view of this invention with end elevations of thickness, lengths, and widths.

PHOTO 1 shows length of invention.

PHOTO 2 shows width of invention

PHOTO 3 shows initial preparation of bread bag for contact with invention.

PHOTO 4 shows prepared bread bag ready for contact with invention.

PHOTO 5 shows initial contact of invention with bread bag.

PHOTO 6 shows final movement of invention.

PHOTO 7 shows air tightness of bag after applying invention.

PHOTO 8 shows bread bag and invention in static state.

REFERENCED NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

-   -   1 upper jaw     -   2 mouth     -   3 hook handle     -   4 lower jaw     -   5 throat lock     -   6 locking groove     -   7 spring tab (closed—as in when shipped)     -   8 spring tab (open—as comes out of mold—pressed in prior to         shipment)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring more specifically to the drawings and photos a closure device 10 for closing and the quick opening of LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) bags such as bread products and other consumables that are packaged and shipped. The closure device is manufactured by injection molding using polypropylene plastic resin and can be manufactured in an array of colors. This material is more specifically an “impact” modified copolymer. This insures the longevity of the invention as well as contributes to its effectiveness in operation and achieving the goal for which it is designed.

The closure device 10 of FIG. 1 is comprised of an elongated, generally flat body structure, 4 inches in length, ¼ inches in width, and 1¼ inch in thickness and comprising a comfortable hook handle 3, two juxtaposed jaws, lower jaw 4 and upper jaw 1. mouth 3, and throat lock 5.

As shown throughout the figures and photos, a closure device according to the invention has a spring tab 8 (FIG. 2) that is locked into locking groove 6 prior to shipping. This embodiment is an improvement over previous prototypes of this invention in that it provides continuous pressure on the throat lock 5 while engaged in gripping the neck of the bag. This embodiment also insures that after countless uses the upper jaw 1 and lower jaw 4 b do not weaken and therefore become ineffective.

The user, whether right-handed or left-handed, curls the forefinger over hook handle 3 and engages the twisted top of the bread bad in between upper jaw 1 and lower jaw 4 at mouth 2. With opposing pressure—from the closure device and the bread bag, the neck of the bag is brought into mouth 2 and locked into the throat lock 5.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment 1 of the present invention in that the upper jaw 1 is curved approximately 45 degrees upward and away from the lower jaw 4. Other than allowing a large neck bag to enter into throat lock 5 this curved embodiment allows the user to quickly release the neck of the bag. With the thumb of the hand using the device the user may simply apply upward pressure on the upper jaw 1 and the neck is released immediately.

Referring to all Figures and Photos a closure device according to this invention has no sharp edges, no moving parts to ever replace, and needs no maintenance to insure effectiveness, simplicity, and quickness in utilizing said invention for its intended purpose.

The foregoing description is meant to be exemplary only and should not limit the scope of the invention set forth in the following claims.

Field of Search . . . 24/30.5 R, 24/30.5 S. 24/30.5 W, 24/30.5 P, 562, 557, 337, 545

REFERENCES CITED

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2,981,990 5/1961 Matthews . . . 24/545 3,164,250 1/1965 Paxton . . . 24/30.5 S 3,170,213 2/1965 Thomas, Jr 3,257,695 6/1966 Frame 3,264,698 8/1966 Wright 4,149,299 4/1979 Welsh 4,356,600 11/1982 Welch 4,357,740 11/1982 Brown 4,697,312 10/1987 Freyer 4,783,886 11/1988 Koppe 5,404,621 4/1995 Heinke 5,473,796 12/1995 Fusillo 6,389,652 5/2002 Williams 

1. A bread bag closure device for fastening closed and the quick opening of LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) manufactured bags or similar articles, comprising: a unitary, generally flat body having two elongated, juxtaposed, spaced apart members, the members defining a slot extending longitudinally between the members wherein the slot terminates in a bag-accepting area and a elongated curved hook handle located at opposite end of bag-accepting area.
 2. A bread bag closure device according to claim 1 wherein the device is constructed of plastic.
 3. A bread bag closure device according to claim 2 wherein the plastic is injection molded from polypropylene plastic resin in a variety of colors and the plastic material is a “impact” modified Copolymer.
 4. A bread bag closure device according to claim 1 wherein the bag-accepting area is locked in by a spring tab designed to be longer than the space between the connected end of the said spring tab and the terminating end located at the locking groove, and wherein said spring tab is manually inserted into locking groove after injection molding operation, and wherein said spring tab applies continuous flexible spring pressure on elongated members and bag-accepting area.
 5. A bread bag closure device according to claim 1 wherein the curved elongated upper member is affixed at a 45 degree angle for quick thumb release of enclosed bag neck. 